Vehicle floor cover retention system and device

ABSTRACT

Closed sockets are formed in the lower surface of a vehicle floor cover, such as a mat or tray. Each socket is adapted to receive a vehicle floor cover retention device which stands up from the floor of the vehicle foot well in which the floor cover is being installed. The sidewall of the body of each device acts as a physical stop to the sidewall of a respective socket, preventing or mitigating movement of the floor cover within the foot well. The top surface of the device may have a first fastener which is adapted to engage a second fastener on the ceiling of the socket. The device may be an adapter which is fastened to preexisting OEM mat retention structure. Embodiments of the adapter include one assembled from two pieces around an OEM retention post with an enlarged head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In most conventional vehicles, such as cars, trucks and SUV's, the footwells for the occupants are carpeted. Vehicle floor covers, includingfloor mats and trays, have been provided to protect the foot wells ofthese vehicles. However, vehicle drivers and passengers tend to movetheir feet around, which can bunch up or cause folding of a mat, orpossibly shift the position of the mat or tray, causing the gas, brakeor clutch pedals, or other vehicle controls or features, to be occluded.Vehicle floor trays, which are fit to the three dimensional walls of thefoot well, are sturdier and less prone to deformation and shifting, yetstill require placement and securing aids.

To aid in the placement and stability of floor covers and ultimatelyprovide a more solid feel to the occupant's feet, vehicle manufacturers(commonly called original equipment manufacturers or OEMs) now usuallyplace retention posts or other devices or structure in the vehicle footwells. Often the floor mats or trays are designed to have respectiveapertures sized to accept the retention posts through them. However,retention post placement varies from manufacturer to manufacturer andmay even vary from model to model. If the retention post placement isrepositioned even a slight amount, the holes in the mats and trays willneed to be likewise repositioned, requiring redesign of the mats andtrays. In addition OEM mat retention systems vary widely; some useupstanding posts, others use hooks, still others use preformed holes orcavities in the foot well floor to which other fasteners are affixed.Some OEM retention devices terminate in a knob which is twisted to lockthe mat or tray in place. The variance in OEM mat retention systemsmakes the provision of aftermarket floor mats and trays for these modelsmore costly and less universal. Further, intentionally providing a holethrough a vehicle floor cover necessarily reduces its ability to protectthe carpeting underneath from debris and fluids.

Most OEM floor mat retention devices require a modicum of mental andphysical effort on the part of the end user to effectively fasten themat to the floor and, without the exercise of this level of care andeffort, may not be adequately engaged. Thus a need exists for a vehicleretention post attachment device that can be used to secure a vehiclefloor mat or tray without the need for an aperture in the mat or tray,and which relies on a more universal, passive and error-free means toprevent the lateral shifting of a floor mat or tray in a vehicle footwell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a vehicle floor cover retention systemis provided in which a vehicle floor cover, such as a mat or tray, hasone or more sockets formed in its lower surface. The system furtherincludes, for each socket, a retention device which stands up from thevehicle foot well floor. The socket has a sidewall of a predetermineddepth that extends from the general lower surface of the floor cover toa closed ceiling. A socket depth is preselected to be more than or equalto a height of a sidewall of the retention device. The sidewall of theretention device is high enough that it acts as a physical stop to thesidewall of the socket, thereby preventing or mitigating lateralmovement of the floor cover inside the vehicle foot well. The body ofthe retention device can be circularly cylindrical, or have a sidewallthat is slightly inversely frustoconical (with a top being slightlylarger than a bottom). The socket can likewise be substantiallycircularly cylindrical, but may have a draft for reasons ofmanufacturability. The retention device further includes a connector ofone of many different kinds Many of the retention devices are in thenature of adapters and fasten in various ways to the OEM retentiondevices in the foot well. But some embodiments of the invention'sretention device do not have adapters but fasten directly into thecarpet backing A top surface of the retention device of the inventioncan have a fastener, such as hook and loop material, a magnet, or aphysical snap, which fastens to a corresponding fastener disposed on theceiling of the socket which receives the retention device.

A principal advantage of the retention system of the invention is itsrelatively passive nature. In some embodiments the end user does nothave to forcibly push or snap a device on a mating piece, nor does he orshe have to rotate a part to attach the mat or tray. Once an adapter hasbeen installed on the OEM retention structure, one time, the tray can beplaced on or lifted off of the adapters with a simple motion. Theadapters thus locate the mat or tray and retain it.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided amultiple-piece retention device or adapter which is removably installedby a consumer onto an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicle footwell retention post which extends upwardly from a floor of the vehiclefoot well. The OEM retention post has a shaft portion of one diameterand a head portion of a second, larger diameter. A cavity, disposedinside a body of the adapter, is dimensioned to receive the head of theOEM retention post. An engagement ridge, axially spaced from an uppersurface of the body, extends inwardly from a general inner surface ofthe cavity and forms a passageway dimensioned to receive the shaft ofthe OEM retention post. The body may be divided into two or more pieceswhere each of the pieces includes a portion of the engagement ridge andwhere the pieces are capable of being securely attached to one another.A first fastener is disposed on the upper surface of the body, which isfastenable to a second fastener disposed on a lower surface of the mator tray being retained.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided anaffixation/retention device which consists of a substantiallyplate-shaped handgrip member, a vehicle retention member and a carpetaffixation member. The vehicle retention member is sized to be receivedin a socket of a vehicle floor cover. The carpet affixation member isadapted to be twisted into the carpeting of the vehicle foot well by ahuman hand on the handgrip member.

In an embodiment, at least one anti-backout wedge is formed on the lowerface of the handgrip member. The anti-backout wedge has a leading edgeand trailing edge and resists any torque on the device in a directionopposite the predetermined rotational direction.

In an embodiment, the handgrip member includes a metal plate and aplastic component overmolded around the metal plate. At least oneradially inwardly extending embayment is formed in the plane adjacentthe lateral outer margin of the metal plate. The metal plate does notform any portion of the lower face of the handgrip member within thearea of the embayment, instead a lower surface of the plastic componentforms the lower face of the handgrip member within the embayment. Theaffixation member joined to the handgrip member is adapted to be axiallytwisted into a carpeted surface of a vehicle foot well.

The present invention provides an advantage over making a hole in thevehicle floor cover sized to receive a vehicle retention post. When thehead of the retention post is large, in the prior art, the aperture inthe floor mat may have to fit loosely around the retention post. Inaddition, the present invention reduces the need to redesign the floormats or trays when the retention post placement is slightly changed; thearea of the upper surface of the attachment device can be chosen to besmaller than the area of the second fastener on the dome interior,permitting some lateral shift. More likely, if the design of the OEMretention post or other structure is changed, the adapter that fits itcan be changed without redesigning the mat or tray. The attachmentdevice allows for the attachment of the floor mat or tray to the vehiclefoot well while maintaining a tight retention and location. By obviatingthe need of forming a hole in the floor cover for the retention post,the fastening device provides superior protection to the underlyingcarpet from fluids, debris and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the invention and their advantages can be discernedin the following detailed description, in which like characters denotelike parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of vehicle foot well according to the priorart;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 1, with adaptersaccording to one aspect of the invention having been installed onoriginal equipment manufacturer (OEM) mat retention devices;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a vehicle floor tray according tothe invention, installed in the vehicle foot well using the adaptersshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the vehicle floor tray shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another vehicle floor tray according tothe invention, showing an alternative placement of sockets;

FIG. 6 is a detailed exploded isometric view of a vehicle floor coverretention system using a retention device or adapter as seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken through a vehicle floor cover andadapter assembled to an OEM vehicle floor cover retention post;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an adapter according tothe invention as provided in two pieces, the view showing therelationship of the pieces prior to their assembly around an OEMretention post;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the two pieces of the adapter shown in FIG.8, prior to their assembly;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the adapter shown in FIG. 8 as assembledaround an OEM retention post;

FIG. 11A is an isometric view of another embodiment of a floor coverretention device according to the invention;

FIG. 11B is a sectional view of the retention device shown in FIG. 11A,as installed in a vehicle foot well and receiving a vehicle floor cover;

FIG. 12A is an isometric view of another embodiment of an adapter orretention device according to the invention;

FIG. 12B is a top view of the adapter shown in FIG. 12A, as closingaround an OEM floor mat retention device;

FIG. 13A is an isometric view of another embodiment of a retentiondevice according to the invention;

FIG. 13B is sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 13A, shownattaching a floor cover to a vehicle foot well;

FIG. 14A is an isometric view of another embodiment of an adapter orretention device according to the invention;

FIG. 14B is a top view of the adapter shown in FIG. 14A, illustratingits attachment to an OEM floor mat retention device;

FIG. 14C is a sectional view of the adapter shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B,shown attaching a floor cover to a vehicle foot well;

FIG. 15A is an isometric view of another embodiment of an adapter orretention device according to the invention and an associated cavity ina vehicle floor well;

FIG. 15B is a sectional view of the retention device of FIG. 15A, shownattaching a floor cover to a vehicle foot well;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of another embodiment of a retention devicefor use with the invention, employing helical tines;

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of an embodiment similar to that shown in FIG.16, showing four helical tines;

FIG. 18A is an isometric view of another embodiment of a retentiondevice or adapter according to the invention and showing fingerdepressions to aid in a manual twisting motion; and

FIG. 18B is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18A; and

FIG. 19 a perspective view of a affixation/retention device according toanother embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 20-20of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21A is a perspective view of the top of a metal plate of a handgripmember of the affixation/retention device shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21B is a perspective view of the bottom of the metal plate shown inFIG. 21A;

FIG. 22A is a perspective view of the top of the overmolded handgripmember of the affixation/retention device shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22B is a perspective view of the bottom of the overmolded handgripmember and vehicle carpet affixation member of the affixation/retentiondevice shown in FIG. 19; and

FIG. 23 a detailed exploded isometric view of affixation/retentiondevice shown in

FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a typical original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehiclefoot well 10 prior to a floor mat or tray being placed within it. Theillustrated foot well is of the driver's side, as is evident from thegas pedal 12 and the brake pedal 14. Typically although not universally,a floor 16 of the foot well 10 is carpeted. The floor 16 of the footwell 10 may be bounded by other foot well surfaces, so as to form agenerally concave shape. These bounding foot well surfaces may include arear or aft side 18, transitioning the floor 16 to a seat pedestal (notshown); an inboard side 20, which will be disposed between the floor 16and a transmission tunnel or center console; a firewall 22, which is aforward continuation of floor 16 and which generally slopes upwardly andforwardly, and forward of the gas and brake pedals 12 and 14; and anoutboard side 24, which is disposed between the floor well floor 16 anda door sill 26.

Particularly on the driver's side, vehicle manufacturers now usuallyequip the foot well 10 with one or two hold-down or retention devices,in order fix the mat or tray (generically, “floor cover”) in place andprevent its shifting and fouling with gas pedal 12 and/or brake pedal14. In this illustrated embodiment there are two OEM retention devices124A and 124B, and they take the form of posts with enlarged heads 214.Many different floor mat retention systems have been developed bydifferent vehicle manufacturers and this makes the provision ofcustom-fitted foot well covers for these vehicles more challenging. Inthis illustrated embodiment, the OEM retention posts are meant to beinserted entirely through respective holes in an OEM floor mat (notshown.)

The placement of the spaced-apart OEM retention devices 124A and 124B istypical; OEM retention device 124A is located toward the aft andoutboard margins of floor 16, while retention device 124B is positionedtoward the aft and inboard corner of floor 16. While OEM vehicleretention devices 124A and 124B stand up more or less perpendicularlyfrom floor 16, they could be located in one or more of the adjacent footwell surfaces and be canted at an angle to the vertical.

FIG. 2 shows a beginning stage in the deployment of one form of theinvention. In one embodiment of the invention, adapters or furtherretention devices 100A, 100B are furnished for each OEM retention device124A, 124B. In this embodiment, the adapters 100A, 100B take the form ofgenerally cylindrical pucks or disks which completely surroundrespective ones of the OEM retention devices 124A, 124B and are affixedto them in such a way that their inadvertent separation becomes highlyimprobable, even upon application of considerable vertical or lateralforce. After their installation, each of the adapters 100A, 100B willpresent an upstanding sidewall 125 that extends for some distance abovethe floor 16. Sidewall 125 is at a considerable angle to the floor 16and in most instances will be roughly perpendicular to it. In theillustrated embodiment, each adapter 100A,B is further equipped with afastener 105 on its top surface 104. In this illustrated embodiment,fasteners 105 are hook-and-loop material or hook-and-loop moldedtopography.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a floor cover 120 (the one illustrated here isa floor tray) for use with the retention system of the invention. Asseen in FIG. 4, the floor cover 120 has a general lower surface 121 intowhich are formed a pair of sockets 122A and 122B. Sockets 122A,B aretransversely spaced apart from each other and may be located near therear margin of floor cover 120, and in this embodiment are respectivelylocated near the inboard and outboard margins of the tray 120. Thespacing and location of the sockets 122A and 122B match the spacing andlocation of OEM posts 124A and 124B. Each socket 122A,B has a sidewall123 which extends upwardly and inwardly from the general lower surface121. The sidewall 123 makes a substantial angle to general lower surface121, as will be described in more detail below. Each socket 122A,B issized to receive an OEM post 124A or 124B, as previously fitted with anadapter 100A or 100B. The floor tray 120 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4has been thermoformed from a blank of thermoplastic material ofsubstantially uniform thickness. Therefore, in this embodiment eachsocket 122A or 122B shows up as a puck, dome or other shape on the uppersurface of the part which is a projection of the shape of the socketbeneath it, as seen for example in FIG. 3. Where the floor cover 120 ismanufactured by injection or compression molding, the domes or pucks inthe upper surface may be less prominent or may be entirely absent.

In this embodiment, an end user of the floor cover 120 doesn't have todo much work in installing it into his or her vehicle. The user firstfits the OEM posts 124A, 124B with adapters 100A and 100B. Then the usertakes the floor cover 120 and positions the sockets 122A and 122B overthe attached adapters 100A and 100B so that the adapters 100A and 100Bare received within the sockets 122A and 122B. In those embodimentswhere the adapters 100A and 100B have a fastener such as hook and loopmaterial or topography on their respective upper surfaces, the userpresses the sockets 122A and 122B down on the adapters 100A and 100B,and the installation is complete. The user does not have to thread orforcibly press any retention device through an aperture in the mat ortray, and doesn't have to twist or turn any hook, end knob or lock tosecure the mat or tray in place.

The retention system of the invention primarily relies on theinteraction between adapter sidewall 125 and socket sidewall 123 toprevent lateral movement; one acts as a physical stop to the other. Inthose instances where there are at least two sockets and adapters 122,100, the mat or tray is also prevented from rotating around the axis ofeither.

FIG. 5 illustrates a different embodiment in which a thermoformed floortray 128 is provided, as before, with sockets 122A and 122B. Socket 122Bis located near the inboard and rear margin of tray 128. Socket 122A,however, is located near the longitudinal center line of the part andnear its rear margin. This embodiment illustrates that there can beconsiderable variation in the placement of the sockets 122A and 122B andof the OEM posts with which they are meant to align.

A single retention device 100 and an associated portion of a floor cover120 are seen in FIG. 6. The retention device or adapter 100 includes abody 102 disposed around a vertical axis X. In the illustratedembodiment, the external surface or side wall 125 of the body 102 issubstantially circularly cylindrical or pillbox-like and is roughlyparallel to axis X. In the illustrated embodiment, side wall 125 isactually slightly frustoconical rather than straight cylindrical;adapter 100 is wider at the top than it is at the bottom. In otherembodiments, the external sidewalls of the body 125 can be cylindricalin the mathematical sense (that is, a cross section of the sidewall atone point on axis X will show a shape that is similar to a cross sectiontaken at another point on axis X), prismatic, oval, or other convenientshape, but preferably sidewall 125 is disposed to be at a substantialangle to the horizontal.

The body 102 has a general exterior upper surface 104 on which a firstfastener 105 is formed or affixed. For example, the upper surface may beintegrally molded with the body 102 so as to have hook or loop featuresin it; alternatively, a layer of hook or loop material may be applied toa plastic substrate as by gluing or heat bonding. In other embodimentsfastener 105 could be a magnet or a snap. The body 102 is preferablyinjection-molded of plastic but may also be formed from rubber or otherthermosetting material, or even a metal. Surface 104 is, in thisembodiment, formed to be planar and substantially perpendicular to axisX; more generally the curvature (if any) of surface 104 should be amirror image of the shape of socket ceiling 217 (described below).

A cavity 110 is formed by the body 102. In the embodiment illustrated byFIG. 6, an opening 111 in the general exterior upper surface 104communicates it to the cavity 110. In an alternative embodiment, thegeneral exterior upper surface 104 could be continuous with no opening.

In FIG. 7, the retention device or adapter 100 is shown assembled aroundan OEM retention post 124, and the retention device 100 in turn isfastened to the ceiling 217 of socket 122. The illustrated OEM retentiondevice 124 typically is supplied by the vehicle manufacturer and may beof any of various forms, others of which will be described below. Theillustrated OEM post 124 has a shaft 216, which terminates in a free andenlarged end or head 214, wherein at least one diameter of the head 214is larger than the diameter of the shaft 216. In this illustratedembodiment the cavity 110 is disposed between the general upper surface104 of the device or adapter 100 and an engagement ridge or annulus 202formed to be remote from the general upper surface 104. Cavity 110 isshown here as having a generally cylindrical interior sidewall 204although it could take other shapes, as might happen where the enlargedhead of the OEM retention post is not radially symmetrical. In theillustrated embodiment a lower surface 215 of the engagement ridge 202forms or is a part of the lower surface of the adapter 100. The cavityinner surface 204 is dimensioned such that when it receives the head 214of the retention post, the top of the head 214 of the retention postdoes not extend beyond the general exterior upper surface 104 of theadapater body 102. In other words, the cavity 110 is tall enough toaccommodate the head 214.

The engagement ridge 202 extends radially inwardly from the generalinner surface 204 and is axially spaced from the general upper surface104. The engagement ridge 202 forms a restricted passageway that isdimensioned to receive the shaft 216 of the retention post 124. Thepassageway formed by the engagement ridge 202 is smaller than the headof the retention post 214, and accordingly, when the body 102 isattached around the retention post 124, it cannot be lifted off by evena large amount of axial force. In the illustrated embodiment, a centralpassageway defined by the engagement ridge 202 fairly tightly receivesthe shaft 216; in an alternative embodiment, this fit could have alooser tolerance so as to permit some variance in the shaft size orshape.

A second fastener 208 is placed on an underside of the floor cover 120,and it is preferred that the second fastener 208 be attached to or makeup the ceiling 217 of the socket 122. The second fastener may behook-and-loop material meant to mate with the hook-and-loop material ofthe first fastener 105; it is also possible for the hook and looptopography to be molded into the ceiling 217. Accordingly, when thefloor cover 120 having a socket 122 is placed over the body 102, thesecond fastener 208 fastens to the first fastener 105. In otherembodiments, one of fasteners 105 and 208 can be a magnet and the otherof the fasteners 105 and 208 can be a magnet or a piece of ferromagneticmaterial such as steel. In yet other embodiments, fasteners 105 and 208could form components of a spring-biased mechanical snap.

The socket 122 has a top diameter, D1, at the ceiling of the socket 122and a bottom diameter, D2, at the general lower surface of the socket122. The adapter 100 has a diameter D3. The greatest diameter of theadapter 100, D3, is less than the top D1 and bottom D2 socket 122diameters. This insures that the floor cover 120 will fit on the adapter100.

Typically, the retention post 124 protrudes upwardly through a layer ofcarpet (here shown schematically at 218). A thickness of the engagementridge 202 between its lower surface 215 and its upper surface 220 may bechosen to be smaller than a length of the unenlarged portion of shaft216, for ease in installation by the consumer.

The upstanding sidewall 123 preferably approaches parallelism with axisX, but in order to get good mold release characteristics, the sidewall123 may be at a slight angle to axis X, such as up to six degrees, andpreferably 3 to 5 degrees. One embodiment of sidewall 125, however, issomewhat inversely frustoconical, such that the top of adapter 100 isslightly larger in diameter than its bottom. In any particular vehicle,the OEM retention post 124 may not be completely vertical but may becanted, either as a result of its being installed in a nonhorizontalsurface or because of loose tolerances or controls on such verticality.Sidewall 125 compensates for this somewhat in that even as slightlycanted, the sidewall 125 will present an abutment or stop to thesidewall 123 which is more at 90 degrees to the horizontal than the OEMpost axis. This maximizes the ability of surface 125 to stop lateraldisplacement of mat or tray 120 without the socket 122 camming over thetop 104 of the adapter 100.

More generally, the adapter 100 minimally should present some sort ofbump or impediment to the lateral displacement of the socketed mat ortray 120. Various shapes could achieve this. Preferably the height ofsocket wall 123 (from ceiling 217 to the general lower surface 121 offloor cover 120) and the height of the retention device sidewall body125 should be at least 4 mm for acceptable functionality. Further and inthe illustrated embodiment, a diameter of socket 122 at ceiling 217 ispreselected to be somewhat larger than a diameter of adapter 100 at topsurface 104, the difference being at least 2 mm, and more preferably 6to 8 mm. This loose tolerance is specified to take into account thevariation in placement of the OEM retention device to which the adapter100 is connected. Where the OEM retention device, such as a hook (seebelow), is not radially symmetrical, this degree of “float” may alsovary with the asymmetry of the OEM retention device.

In one embodiment the adapter body 102 is made up of at least twoseparate pieces, and as shown in FIG. 8, may consist of two identicalpieces 300 a and 300 b that each substantially define a half cylinder.The two pieces 300 a and 300 b are securely attachable to each other.Each of the pieces 300 a, b includes a portion of the engagement lip orridge 202, such as half of it. In an alternative embodiment the body 102may consist of more than two pieces in a variety of shapes that aresecurely attachable to each other, with each piece making up a part ofthe engagement ridge 202. In the illustrated embodiment the firstfastener 105 is an annulus which is divided into halves or 180 degreesectors, so that when the pieces 300 a,b are fastened together, acomplete annulus of engaging material will result. See also FIG. 10.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a pair of mating or interlocking members 402and 404 is included in each of the pieces 300 a and 300 b. In theillustrated embodiment, the pair of interlocking members 402 and 404consists of a serrated projection or finger 402 and a serrated channel404. The serrated projection 402 of one piece is adapted to be slidablyreceived into the serrated channel 404 of the other piece when the twopieces are joined together in a horizontal direction around theretention post 124. The serrations or teeth 403 on the projection 402,and the serrations or teeth 405 within the projection-receiving channel404, preferably are of the shark-tooth form, such that the forcenecessary to pull them apart is much greater than the force necessary toput them together. The shark-tooth serrations 403 will easily cam acrossthe teeth 405 in the channel 404 when a projection 402 is inserted intoa channel 404, but the reverse will not be true. The teeth or serrations403, 405 preferably are elongate and are disposed to be in parallel tothe axis X, such that they will maximally resist being pulled apart atan angle to that axis.

On each piece, the interlocking members 402, 404 are radially spacedfrom the axis and extend in a direction parallel to and spaced from thataxis. Projections or fingers 402 and channels 404 are disposed below theupper engagement surface 104, radially outwardly from the structuredefining cavity 110, and preferably above the engagement ridge 202. Theprojection 402 of piece 302 a will be inserted into a channel 404 ofpiece 302 b on one side of the axis X, while simultaneously theprojection 402 of piece 302 b will be inserted into channel 404 of piece302 a on the other side of the axis X; the axis is interposed betweenthe two vectors or lines of closing (not shown) of the fastening pairs402, 404. This spaced-apart placement ensures that the piece 300 a willbe securely fastened to piece 300 b around the retention post 124.

In one embodiment each finger or projection 402 is slightly elastic.This elasticity can be taken advantage of by placing the serrations 403on the free end of the elongate projection 402, and by extending theprojection 402 at an angle which is slightly nonparallel to and inwardof the long dimension of the mating channel 404. In this way, aprojection 402, when inserted into a channel 404, will have its teeth403 forced or spring-biased against the teeth 405 of the channel 404.This enhances securement.

According to one aspect of the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 8and 9, at least two access holes 406 may open onto the general uppersurface 104. The access holes 406 open on respective channels 404, atlocations which are closer to the entrances of the channels 404 than aretheir serrations or teeth 405. Access holes 406 are positioned such thata screwdriver blade or other tool admitted into an access hole 406 willpermit the tool to pry the spring-biased projection or finger 402 of theother piece from the teeth 405 in the channel 404, permitting the userto decouple piece 300 a from piece 300 b. But as seen in FIG. 10, thereintentionally is no other way to remove the attachment device 100 fromthe retention post 124 without destroying the attachment device 100; asassembled, the fingers or projections 402 are shrouded by the externalside wall 125 of the device 100. This prevents the adapter 100 frombecoming inadvertently separated from the OEM retention device 124 towhich it is affixed.

Each of the pieces 300 a,b also has a pair of guides or processes to aidin the coregistration and assembly of the device 100. The guides alsohelp prevent inadvertent disassembly when the two pieces of the deviceare twisted torsionally and perpendicularly from the axis X. The firstof these, guide 408, is a process which extends roughly in parallel tobut spaced outwardly from finger 402. The radially external surface ofguide 408 is continuous with exterior surface 125. The guide 408 fitsinto a pocket 410 on the other of the two pieces 300 a,b. Pocket 410 isin the nature of a depression formed in the otherwise continuous curvedexterior surface 125.

The other guide or process 412 is best seen in FIG. 9. This guide orprocess 412 is a continuation of the wall partially constituting channel404. Process 412, upon assembly to the other piece 300 a or 300 b,slides along wall 414 of that other piece, even as finger teeth 403begin to engage channel teeth 405.

The cavity 110 is dimensioned to enclose the OEM retention post head214. As seen in FIG. 10, the retention post head 214 sits within thecavity 110.

The adapter 100 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4-10 fairly closely fits an OEMretention post 124 of a predetermined type. But adapters or retentiondevices could be fabricated according to the invention wherein cavities110 will accommodate any of several different retention post heads,hooks or enlargements of different kinds, so long as the retention postor hook has a terminal head that is larger in axial cross section than aneck or shaft to which is attached. As such, a retention deviceaccording to the invention could be used as an adapter to any of several(OEM) vehicle floor cover retention systems, obviating the need to makecustom apertures in the mats or trays for different OEM makes or models.

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a retention device 1100 which is not anadapter to an OEM retention device but rather is meant to be used whereno such OEM devices exist. As before, device 1100 has a body 1102 whichis puck or pillbox-shaped, and which has an upstanding sidewall 125 thatpreferably is roughly vertical and that can be right cylindrical orslightly inversely frustoconical. An upper surface 104 of the body 1102is finished with hook and loop material or hook and loop topography 105as a fastener; other, previously mentioned fastening expedients could beemployed instead or in addition. A generally planar bottom surface 1104has extending downwardly therefrom a central screw 1106 that, as shownin FIG. 11B, is meant to screw into the carpet pile and backing 1108 ofa vehicle foot well. Alternatively the central screw 1106 can bereplaced with other means to fasten device 1100 to the carpet andpreferably its backing; two alternatives will be described below. Device1100 can be injection molded of suitably tough plastic. It is preferredthat body 1102 have a diameter that is a little smaller than thediameter of socket 122 of floor cover 120, to provide some tolerance inplacement of the device 1100. This device 1100 can be furnished with amat or floor tray 120 having the same size socket 122 as before.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, a device or adapter 1200has a body 1202 with two halves 1204 and 1206 that are hinged atsidewall 125. The engagement ridge or lip 202 will close around an OEMretention post shaft 216; in this embodiment, the head 1208 of the OEMretention device 1209 can be of irregular shape. The hinge 1210 can be a“living hinge” of relatively thin plastic and is approximately parallelto the device axis. Device body 1202, when closed, will form an annularupper surface 104 which, as before, may be populated with hook and loopmaterial 105. Body 1202 forms a cylindrical cavity 110 which is tallenough to house the OEM retention device head 1208. Halves 1204 and 1206are kept closed by means such as a ratchet clasp 1212 on half 1204which, when closed, will engage teeth 1214 formed on exterior surface125 near an opposite split end 1216 of half 1206.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show the structure and installation of anotherembodiment 1300. This device has a solid puck or pillbox-shape body 1302which, as before, presents a cylindrical or slightly inversefrustoconical surface 125 to sidewall 123 of socket 122 (FIG. 13B). Atop surface 104 is provided with a first fastener 105 such ashook-and-loop material or a magnet. A “T” shaft 1304 downwardly extendsfrom the center of a general lower surface of the body 1302. The end ofshaft 1304 remote from body 1302 is terminated in an elongate,horizontally extending bar 1306 which will fit through an elongate slot1308 in the foot well floor (FIG. 13B) in substitution for the OEM floormat retention device usually inserted therein. The body 1302 is thenturned 90 degrees by the user, and the “T” crossbar 1306 thereuponrotates within a disc-like cavity 1310 below slot 1308. Once device 1300is so installed, it is ready to receive a socketed vehicle floor cover120, as before. A diameter of the body 1302 preferably is about 4mm lessthan a diameter of the socket 122.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14A-14C, the device or adapter 1400 hasa puck-shaped body 1402 with a cylindrical or slightly inversefrustoconical sidewall 125. A top surface 104 of the body 1402 is formedas an annulus and is fitted with a fastener 105 of one or more of thekinds previously described. A cylindrical cavity 1404 extends from itsopening on top surface 104 vertically downward to a bottom 1406. Thebottom or floor 1406 is closed except for a central hole 1408, meant toreceive a shaft 1413 of a hook-like OEM retention device 1410, and asector 1412, which is wide enough to admit a hook 1414 that extends fromthe top of the OEM retention device shaft 1413. To fasten the adapter1400 in place, the user rotates body 1402 until the hook 1414 is nolonger above the sector 1412.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15A-15B, the device or adapter 1500 hasa puck-like body 1502 that presents an upstanding sidewall 125 that iseither cylindrical or somewhat inversely frustoconical, as before. A topsurface 104 of the solid body 1502 may include a first fastener 105 ofone or more previously described kinds. Downwardly depending from acenter of general lower surface 1504 of body 1502 is an at leastbifurcated snap-fit foot 1506, here divided by axially disposed channelor slot 1508 into longitudinal parts or halves 1510, 1512. In otherembodiments there can be more channels and more longitudinally dividedsegments (not shown). Each longitudinal segment 1510, 1512 terminates inan enlarged end 1514. The material (such as plastic) from which the bodyand/or foot 1506 is formed is selected to have some elasticity, suchthat a radial inward force directed on either enlarged end 1514 willinwardly depress that end toward the axis and the other such end 1514,temporarily decreasing the diameter of the ends 1514 considered as awhole. The enlarged ends 1514 may each have a chamfered or taperedsurface 1515 so that they will easily cam through circular opening 1518formed above a relatively enlarged cavity 1520, which had been formed ina vehicle foot well floor 1522 by the original equipment manufacturer toreceive a predetermined OEM floor mat retention device. The user pushesthe foot 1506 through the hole 1518, inwardly compressing the footsegments 1514, which will spring back to occupy cavity 1520 after theypass the constriction. The adapter 1500 is then ready to receive asocketed floor cover 120.

FIG. 16 shows another retention device 1600 according to the inventionwhich is not an adapter. Device 1600 has a body 1602 with a sidewall1604 which is cylindrical or (as shown) slightly reverse frustoconical.A fastener, such as a layer or topography 1606 of hook-and-loopmaterial, is mounted or molded on into a top surface 1608 of the body1602. Body 1602 can be solid without a cavity. A pair of angularlyspaced-apart helical tines 1610, 1612 extend in helical paths from ageneral bottom surface 1614 of the body 1602. In this embodiment, thereare two such helical tines, but, as FIG. 17 shows, more tines can besupplied as is convenient. The tines 1610, 1612 can be fashioned ofsteel wire and may have upper ends embedded or in-molded into the body.Similar carpet connectors are disclosed in the Applicants' U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,385,812 and 6,412,142, the entire disclosure and drawings ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference. The tines 1610, 1612 canfollow helical paths, as shown, or can terminate in straight segments,as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,142. Alternatively the tines 1610,1612 can be fashioned of hard plastic. In operation, the user simplyscrews the body 1602, and with it the tines 1610, 1612, in acounterclockwise direction so that the tines 1610, 1612 pierce thecarpet and bite into the backing (not shown) underneath. The height ofbody sidewall 1604 is chosen to be an effective physical stop to arespective floor cover socket sidewall 123, as has been previouslydescribed.

FIG. 17 is a bottom view of a variation of device 1600. In thisembodiment, there are provided four equally angularly spaced apart tines1700, 1702, 1704, 1706 rather than two.

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate a feature which is particularly suited tothose devices described above which are meant to be rotated by hand intheir installation, either into the carpet or to be attached to apreexisting OEM device. A body sidewall 1800 may be formed as a surfaceof rotation around the body's axis, and preferably will be generallycircularly cylindrical or somewhat reverse frustoconical as before, butwon't be completely so. Instead, the sidewall 1800 will have angularlyspaced-apart depressions 1802 formed into it to provide purchase to thefingers of a human hand. Preferably there should be multiple ones of thedepressions 1802, such as at least two, to fit to a thumb and anopposing finger. There can be more depressions than this (not shown)depending on the size of the body 1804. The depressions can take theform of concavities as shown. Other finger-engaging surfaces can insteadbe supplied, all of which will be departures from surfaces of rotationaround the axis X of the body 1804. But the departures should not be sosevere that the primary function of the body, i.e., being a physicalstop to the lateral translation of a socket sidewall, would becompromised. The sidewalls of the device bodies shown in FIGS. 11A-B,13A-B and 14A-B could all bear depressions similar to depressions 1802,as each of these embodiments is meant to be axially twisted by the humanhand.

FIG. 19 shows an affixation/retention device 1900 which has three parts:a handgrip member 1904, a vehicle floor cover retention member 1901 anda carpet affixation member 1910. In some embodiments, theaffixation/retention device 1900 may be formed as one piece. The vehiclefloor cover retention member 1901 has an annular upper surface 104which, as before, may be populated with hook and loop material ortopography 105. The illustrated retention member 1901 has an upstandingsidewall 1913 that is approximately parallel with axis X; in theillustrated embodiment sidewall 1913 has a small positive draft for moldrelease purposes, as better seen in FIG. 20. A height of the retentionmember 1901, as measured from its free end or top surface 104 to upperface 1902 of handgrip member 1904, should be preselected to be less orequal to a depth of the floor cover socket 122A or B which it isintended to fit. Retention member 1901 is equivalent in function to theadapters 100A, B, device 1100, etc. of previously described embodimentsand engages the floor cover sockets 122A, B in the same way. Retentionmember 1901 can be disposed on axis X of device 1900.

The handgrip member 1904 has a substantially plate-shaped body with anoncircular margin 1906. The handgrip member 1904 has a first, upperface 1902 and a second, lower face 2110 (See FIG. 20B). In theillustrated embodiment, the handgrip member 1904 has a series of sides1906 a, 1906 b, 1906 c, 1906 d, 1906 e, 1906 f that extend between andjoin the faces 1902 and 2110. The sides 1906 a, 1906 b, 1906 c, 1906 d,1906 e, 1906 f together form a hexagon. The handgrip member 1904 may bein other than a hexagonal form, and may have a nonpolygonal or irregularmargin, but providing the handgrip member 1904 in a square, hexagonal oroctagonal form forms opposed sides and therefore permits theinstallation of the device 1900 into a textile layer either by the humanhand or a tool. Handgrip member 1904 lies in a plane which issubstantially orthogonal to axis X.

In this embodiment, the body of the handgrip member 1904 is a compositeof a metal plate 2100 and an overmolded thermoplastic portion 1914which, for example, can be acrylonitrile butadiene styrene terpolymer(ABS) or glass filled nylon. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehiclefloor cover retention member 1901 attaches to the handgrip member 1904via a center post 2002 (See FIG. 20). As seen in FIG. 20, once connected(or as integrally molded), the vehicle floor cover retention member 1901sits on the upper or first face 1902 of the handgrip member 1904. In theillustrated embodiment, the hollow post 2002 extends upwardly from theapproximate center of the handgrip member 1904. The post 2002 has wedgesor other integrated widened features 2004 on its outer surface overwhich the vehicle floor cover retention member 1901 slides. The cavity1912 of the vehicle floor cover retention member 1901 is dimensioned toenclose the center post 2002. The cylindrical cavity 1912 is wide enoughto receive the post 2002 but, as stated above, the passageway formed bythe engagement ridge 2012 is smaller than the widened features of thepost 2004. Accordingly when the vehicle floor cover retention member1901 is slid over the post 2002, it cannot be lifted off by even a largeamount of axial force, resulting in a snap-fit. Alternative embodimentsmay have a looser tolerance providing some variance in the post 2002size or shape. In the illustrated embodiment, the largest radius of thevehicle floor cover retention member 1901 is smaller than the smallestradius of the handgrip member 1904. While retention member 1901 isdimensioned to be received into a floor cover socket 122 A or B (seeFIG. 4), the noncircular margin 1906 of the handgrip member isdimensioned to be grasped and turned by a human hand. A radius R fromthe axis X (FIG. 20) to the vertices of the noncircular margin 1906 maybe chosen to be in the range of about 0.5 to 2.5 inches and in oneembodiment is 0.93 inches.

A carpet affixation member 1910 downwardly depends from the lowersurface 2110 of the handgrip member 1904. The carpet affixation member1910 is adapted to be twisted into the carpeting of a vehicle foot wellin a predetermined rotational direction 2116 (See FIG. 23). In theillustrated embodiment, the carpet affixation member 1910 consists ofthree tines 2010 (See FIG. 21B). The tines 2010 are angularly spacedapart from each other around axis X and are formed on roughly helicalpaths. Other embodiments may have one or more different processesforming the affixation member 1910 which prefereably are integrallyformed with the metal plate 2100 and stamped from the workpiece creatingplate 2100.

FIG. 21A shows an upper side of the stamped metal plate 2100 of thehandgrip member 1904. The metal plate 2100 of the handgrip member 1904may be round (as shown) or it may have a different shape. At least oneembayment 2108 is formed adjacent the lateral outer margin 2109 of themetal plate 2100. The embayment 2108 is preferably formed by stamping tocreate a hump 2114 that defines the embayment 2108. Alternatively, metalmay be removed from plate 2100 within each embayment 2108, leaving openindentations. There may be several embayments 2108 which may bedistributed around the axis at equal angular intervals. In theillustrated embodiment the three embayments 2108 are offset from eachother by approximately 120 degrees. Within the area of the embayments2108, the lower surface of the metal plate 2100 departs from thehorizontal plane in which a remainder of the plate 2100 resides, andwhich will be coplanar with lower face 2110 after molding.

In the illustrated embodiment, a hexagonal hole 2104 is disposed on theaxis of the metal plate 2100 of the handgrip member 1904. The hexagonalhole 2104 is sized such that it accepts an Allen wrench. Otherembodiments may have noncircular central orifices of different shapeswhich may receive different tools such as a slotted or Philips headscrewdriver. The tools may be used to turn handgrip member 1904 and thecarpet affixation member 1910 into the carpeting in the predeterminedrotational direction 2116. Additional holes 2106 may be disposed to gothrough the metal plate 2100 for use in the alignment in mold tooling.

FIG. 21B illustrates tines 2010 that downwardly depend from a lower face2103 of the metal plate 2100. The carpet affixation member 1910 shouldhave at least one attachment member 2010 (such as at least one of theillustrated tines), but may have several such as the three shown in FIG.21B. The attachment members 2010 may be integrally formed from andstamped from the metal plate 2100 and extend downwardly from the lowerface 2110. The affixation members 2010 are substantially disposed on aroughly helical path and are a substantial distance from the axis X ofthe handgrip member 1904. The affixation members 2010 illustrated inFIG. 21B are sharpened metal tines with pointed tips 2114 which can beinserted into the vehicle carpeting.

The undersides of the embayments 2108 are also shown in FIG. 21B. Theedges are sloped, while the top of the embayment 2108 is substantiallyflat.

FIG. 22A shows the first face 1902 of the completed hand grip member1904. The overmolding forms a plastic component 1914 of the handgripmember 1904. The plastic component 1914 forms the noncircular margin1906 of the member 1904 and in this embodiment, laterally surrounds themetal plate 2100. In this embodiment, the lateral outer margin 2109 ofthe metal plate 2100 is inwardly spaced from the overmolded noncircularmargin 1906 of the handgrip member 1904.

FIG. 22B shows the lower face 2110 of the overmolded handgrip member1904. As seen in FIG. 22B, the lower face 2103 of the metal plate 2100does not form any portion of the general lower surface 2110 of thehandgrip member 1904 within the area of each embayment 2108; within thearea of the embayment 2108, the plastic component 1914 is overmolded onboth the lower surface 2103 and upper surface 2102 of the metal plate2100. The downwardly disposed affixation member 1910, here comprisingtines 2010, is not overmolded. Anti-backout wedges 2008 are formed onthe lower face 2110. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22B, theanti-backout wedges 2008 are positioned near the respective vertices ofeach hexagon angle. The number of wedges 2008 and placement of wedges2008 may vary with different embodiments. As illustrated in thisembodiment, each wedge 2008 has a leading edge 2222 and a trailing edge2224, the leading edge of the wedge 2222 being angularly spaced relativeto the axis X from the trailing edge of the wedge 2224 in thepredetermined rotational direction 2116. The trailing edge 2224 has adepth which is measured from the second face 2110. That depth is greaterthan the depth between the leading edge 2222 and the second face 2110.In some embodiments the depth between the leading edge 2222 and thesecond face 2110 may be zero, as shown.

Once the handgrip member 1904 and carpet affixation member 1910 aretwisted in rotational direction 2116, into the carpet, the wedges 2008will resist any torque on the device 1900 in a direction opposite thepredetermined rotational direction 2116. In the illustrated embodimentthe anti-backout wedge 2008 and plastic component 1914 of the handgripmember 1904 are integrally molded of plastic. Other embodiments may havebackout wedges 2008 in different configurations and made of differentmaterials.

In operation, the vehicle floor cover retention member or puck 1901 maybe snapped into the center post 2002 (FIG. 23) to create a completeretention device or assembly 1900. This assembly may take place in thefactory. During the course of installing a mat or tray into his or hervehicle, the user locates where the retention devices should go, andthen simply screws each affixation/retention device 1900 in a clockwisedirection so that the tines 2010 pierce the foot well carpet and biteinto the backing underneath. The tip 2014 of the tine 2010 is manuallyinserted and twisted into the floor of the vehicle foot well. As theuser presses and rotates the handgrip member 1904 of theaffixation/retention device 1900 around the center axis X, the tines2010 pierce the carpet layer so that the upper face 1902 of member 1904becomes flush with the carpet surface.

FIG. 23 demonstrates the vehicle floor cover retention member 1901snapping on to the handgrip member 1904.

In summary, a relatively passive vehicle floor cover retention systemuses device bodies or adapters with upstanding side walls that arereceived in respective floor cover sockets. The devices or adapters canbe of various kinds developed to replace or augment OEM retentiondevices of various kinds, and act as physical stops against lateralmotion of the floor mat or tray. While illustrated embodiments of thepresent invention have been described in the above description andillustrated in the appended drawings, the present invention is notlimited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

1. A vehicle floor cover retention system, comprising: a vehicle floorcover for installation in a vehicle foot well, the vehicle floor coverhaving a general lower surface, at least one socket formed into thegeneral lower surface and having a closed ceiling spaced upwardly fromthe general lower surface, at least one sidewall of the socket extendingby a predetermined depth from the general lower surface to the ceiling,the socket having a top socket diameter at the ceiling and a bottomsocket diameter at the general lower surface such that the top socketdiameter is less than the bottom socket diameter; and for each socket, arespective retention device disposed to upwardly extend from the vehiclefoot well and having a free end, a body of the retention device havingat least one upstanding sidewall, a depth of the sidewall of the socketbeing preselected to be more than or equal to a height of the sidewallof the retention device body as measured from a general surface of thevehicle foot well to the free end of the retention device body, thedevice having a greatest diameter that is less than the top and bottomsocket diameters; the socket adapted to receive the retention devicewhen the floor cover is placed in the vehicle foot well, the sidewall ofthe retention device presenting a physical stop to the sidewall of thesocket to mitigate lateral movement of the vehicle floor cover withinthe vehicle foot well.
 2. A vehicle floor cover retention system,comprising: a vehicle floor cover for installation in a vehicle footwell, the vehicle floor cover having a general lower surface, at leastone socket formed into the general lower surface and having a closedceiling spaced upwardly from the general lower surface, at least onesidewall of the socket extending by a predetermined depth from thegeneral lower surface to the ceiling; and for each socket, a respectiveadapter disposed to upwardly extend from the vehicle foot well andhaving a free end, a body of the adapter having at least one upstandingsidewall, a depth of the sidewall of the socket being preselected to bemore than or equal to a height of the sidewall of the adapter body asmeasured from a general surface of the vehicle foot well to the free endof the adapter body; the socket adapted to receive the adapter when thefloor cover is placed in the vehicle foot well, the sidewall of theadapter presenting a physical stop to the sidewall of the socket tomitigate lateral movement of the vehicle floor cover within the vehiclefoot well; and a connector adapted to affix the adapter to an originalequipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicle floor mat retention deviceinstalled by the original equipment manufacturer in the vehicle footwell.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the connector of the adapter isformed by a cavity disposed to be radially interior to the sidewall ofthe adapter body, the cavity sized to house an enlarged head of an OEMvehicle floor mat retention post, a lower end of the cavity defined byan engagement ridge, the engagement ridge extending radially inwardlyfrom a general inner sidewall of the cavity and adapted to receive ashaft of the OEM vehicle floor mat retention post, the shaft extendingbetween the vehicle foot well surface and the enlarged head.
 4. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein the adapter is formed as two separate pieceswhich are brought together around the OEM retention post to affix theadapter to the OEM retention post.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein theadapter is formed as first and second pieces hinged to each other at thesidewall of the adapter body, the first and second pieces hingedlyclosed on each other around the OEM floor mat retention post to affixthe adapter to the OEM retention post.
 6. The system of claim 3, whereinthe enlarged head of the OEM retention post is a hook which isasymmetrical around an axis of the post, the adapter body having anaxis, the engagement ridge defining an access hole extending from theaxis of the adapter body to the general inner sidewall of the cavity inthe adapter body but angularly extending only through a portion of thebottom of the adapter body cavity, the adapter adapted to be twistedabout the axis such that the hook of the OEM retention post is above theengagement ridge.
 7. The system of claim 2, wherein the connector has ashaft which extends downwardly on an axis of the adapter body, the shafthaving an end remote from the adapter body, an elongate bar joined tothe last said end and horizontally extending form the axis in oppositedirections, the elongate bar adapted to be received through a slotformed in the vehicle foot well and into a cavity below the slot, theretention device rotated to fasten the retention device to the vehiclefoot well.
 8. The system of claim 2, wherein the connector has a shaftwhich extends downwardly on an axis of the retention device body andwhich terminates in an enlarged end, the shaft being axially split intotwo parts, the parts being capable of elastic deformation toward theaxis, the connector adapted to being inserted through a hole in thevehicle foot well and into a cavity disposed below the hole, the partsof the enlarged end of the shaft elastically deforming toward the axisas the enlarged end is inserted through the hole and springing radiallyoutwardly once the enlarged end is in the last said cavity to therebyconnect the adapter to the vehicle foot well.
 9. The system of claim 2,wherein the sidewall of the body of the retention device generallyconforms to a surface of rotation around a body axis, plural angularlyspaced-apart depressions being formed in the sidewall of the body toprovide purchase points for a thumb and at least one finger of a humanhand so that a user may manually twist the retention device about itsbody axis. 10-24. (canceled)
 25. A vehicle floor cover retention system,comprising: a vehicle floor cover for installation in a substantiallycarpeted vehicle foot well, the vehicle floor cover having a generallower surface, at least one socket formed into the general lower surfaceand having a closed ceiling spaced upwardly from the general lowersurface, at least one sidewall of the socket extending by apredetermined depth from the general lower surface to the ceiling; foreach socket, a respective affixation/retention device; a substantiallyplate-shaped handgrip member of the affixation/retention device formedaround an axis to be substantially orthogonal thereto, a noncircularhandgrip margin of the handgrip member radially spaced from the axis,the handgrip member having a lower face and an upper face; a vehiclefloor cover retention member of the affixation/retention deviceupstanding from the upper face of the handgrip member and sized to bereceived in a respective socket, the retention member disposed on theaxis, a largest radius orthogonal to the axis of the vehicle floor coverretention member being smaller than a smallest radius orthogonal to theaxis of the handgrip member; and a carpet affixation member of theaffixation/retention device downwardly depending from the lower surfaceof the handgrip member, the carpet affixation member formed around theaxis and adapted to be twisted into carpeting of the vehicle foot wellin a predetermined rotational direction by action of the human hand onthe handgrip surface of the handgrip member.
 26. The system of claim 25,wherein a body of the vehicle floor cover retention member has a freeend upwardly spaced from the upper face of the handgrip member and atleast one upstanding sidewall extending between the upper face of thehandgrip member and the free end of the retention member, a depth of thesidewall of the socket being preselected to be more than or equal to aheight of the sidewall of the retention member; and the sidewall of theretention member presenting a physical stop to the sidewall of thesocket to mitigate lateral movement of the vehicle floor cover withinthe vehicle foot well.
 27. The system of claim 25, and further includinga post integrally formed with the handgrip member on the axis toupwardly vertically extend from the upper surface of the handgripmember, a sidewall of the post having an enlargement, the vehicle floorcover retention member being annular and adapted to snap-fit over theenlargement on the post of the handgrip member.
 28. The system of claim25, wherein the handgrip member has a metal plate and a plastic portionovermolded onto the metal plate, the carpet affixation member of thedevice comprising at least one tine integrally formed with anddownwardly depending from the metal plate.
 29. The system of claim 28,wherein the affixation member includes a plurality of tines angularlyspaced from each other and integrally formed with and downwardlyextending from the metal plate on roughly helical paths.
 30. The systemof claim 27, wherein a center of the post and the handgrip member arehollow and define an axial passage, the handgrip member further having ametal plate, at least one tine of the vehicle carpet affixation memberintegrally formed with and downwardly depending from the metal plate, anoncircular central orifice formed in the plate on the axis and adaptedto receive a tool introduced through the axial passage for turning thedevice in the predetermined rotational direction.
 31. The system ofclaim 30, wherein the noncircular central orifice of the metal plate isadapted to receive an Allen wrench.
 32. A device for fastening an objectto a carpeted floor of a vehicle, comprising: a substantially flathandgrip member formed around an axis and having a noncircular handgripmargin radially spaced from the axis, the handgrip member having a lowerface which in use faces the carpeted floor of the vehicle; at least onecarpet affixation member joined to the flat handgrip member anddownwardly depending therefrom, the carpet affixation member adapted tobe twisted into the carpeted floor of the vehicle in a predeterminedrotational direction around the axis; and at least one anti-backoutwedge formed on the lower face of the handgrip member to downwardlydepend therefrom, the wedge having a leading edge and a trailing edge,the leading edge of the wedge being angularly spaced relative to theaxis from the trailing edge of the wedge in the predetermined rotationaldirection, the trailing edge having a first depth measured from thelower face of the handgrip member, the leading edge having a seconddepth measured from the lower face of the handgrip member, the firstdepth being greater than the second depth such that, once the carpetaffixation member has been twisted into the carpeted floor of thevehicle, the wedge will resist any torque on the device in a directionopposite the predetermined rotational direction.
 33. The device of claim32, wherein the handgrip member includes a metal plate and a plasticportion overmolded onto the metal plate, at least one tine of the carpetaffixation member integrally formed with and downwardly extending fromthe plate in a roughly helical path.
 34. The device of claim 33, whereinsaid at least one anti-backout wedge and the plastic portion of thehandgrip member are integrally molded of plastic.
 35. The device ofclaim 32, wherein the second depth is zero.
 36. The device of claim 33,wherein the carpet affixation member includes a plurality of tinesangularly spaced apart from each other relative to the axis andextending downwardly from the lower face of the handgrip member onroughly helical paths.
 37. The device of claim 32, wherein a pluralityof anti-backout wedges are disposed on the lower face to be angularlyspaced apart from each other relative to the axis.
 38. A device forretention of a mat or tray to a foot well of a vehicle, comprising: acomposite handgrip member formed around an axis and having a noncircularhandgrip margin radially spaced from the axis, a lower face of thehandgrip member substantially residing in a plane perpendicular to theaxis and extending to the handgrip margin, the handgrip member includinga metal plate and a plastic component overmolded around the metal plateto at least partially form the handgrip margin, a general lower surfaceof the metal plate partially constituting the lower face of the handgripmember, a lateral outer margin of the metal plate being radiallyinwardly spaced from the handgrip margin through at least some of thecircumference of the handgrip margin; at least one radially inwardlyextending embayment formed in the plane adjacent the lateral outermargin of the metal plate and having an area, the metal plate notforming any portion of the lower face of the handgrip member within thearea of the embayment, a lower surface of the plastic component formingthe lower face of the handgrip member within the area of the embayment;and a vehicle carpet affixation member of the device joined to andextending downwardly from the general lower surface of the handgripmember and adapted to be axially twisted into a carpeted surface of avehicle foot well.
 39. The device of claim 38, wherein multipleembayments are formed adjacent the lateral outer margin of the metalplate, the embayments being angularly spaced from each other relative tothe axis.
 40. The device of claim 39, wherein the embayments aredistributed around the axis at equal angular intervals.
 41. The deviceof claim 38, wherein the lower surface of the metal plate extends acrossthe embayment and departs from the plane within the area of theembayment.
 42. The device of claim 41, wherein within the area of theembayment, the plastic component is overmolded both on the lower surfaceof the metal plate and on the upper surface of the metal plate.
 43. Thedevice of claim 41, wherein the metal plate is formed from a workpieceof substantially uniform thickness and is stamped to create a hump thatdefines the embayment.
 44. The device of claim 38, wherein the plasticcomponent laterally surrounds the metal plate through 360 degreesrelative to the axis.
 45. The device of claim 38, wherein the vehiclecarpet affixation member includes at least one process integrally formedwith the metal plate.
 46. The device of claim 45, wherein the process isa sharpened metal tine.
 47. The device of claim 45, wherein the processis stamped from a workpiece of substantially uniform thickness, theworkpiece also creating the metal plate.
 48. The device of claim 45,wherein the vehicle carpet affixation member includes a plurality ofangularly spaced apart processes downwardly extending from the lowerface of the handgrip member.
 49. The device of claim 38, and furtherincluding a vehicle floor cover retention member joined to and upwardlyextending from the upper face of the handgrip member.
 50. The device ofclaim 49, wherein the handgrip member includes a post upwardly extendingalong the axis of the device from the upper face of the handgrip member,the post having an enlargement, the vehicle floor cover retention memberbeing annular and adapted to snap-fit over the enlargement on the post.